Community spirit has turned to a lengthy court fight at a private airstrip in a quiet Vermont mountain town where neighbors used to welcome new residents with homemade casseroles and offers of riding lessons. A wealthy aviation entrepreneur who wants to fly direct from his estate and a neighbour who is determined to stop the runway changing the character of the surrounding countryside are at the heart of the issue. The project has been approved by several authorities but is still the subject of appeals, with both sides defending their cases.
Private airstrip divides mountain community
The Boston Globe reported that the feud is between Beta Technologies electric aircraft maker chief executive Kyle Clark and his wife, Katie Clark, who bought a 130-acre property in Lincoln, Vermont, in 2021. Clark wanted to construct a 900-foot grass runway on their estate so he could fly small, gas-powered planes right from home.The proposal immediately raised hackles among nearby residents, notably Marilyn Ganahl, who owns a 105-acre horse farm and nature preserve next door. Ganahl has estimated she has spent about $300,000, mostly funding the fight against the airstrip.Since then the dispute has broadened to encompass whether a person can use private land for aviation purposes. Residents have expressed concerns about the safety and noise of aircraft, the landscape and the risk of disruption to a community known for its rural character.The controversy also has divided residents, some who value the jobs and economic benefits Clark’s company has provided to Vermont, but who also are uneasy about the increasing neighborhood strife, The Boston Globe reported.
How the project got regulatory approval
Clark has long been interested in flying. He’s long wanted to fly an aircraft from his own property, having taken time away from Harvard to play professional hockey while pursuing pilot training.According to News From The States, he bought the Lincoln property and in 2022 approached the town seeking permission to build the runway. Ganahl appealed the zoning administrator’s initial approval of the application. Then the town’s zoning board rejected the proposal, and Lincoln’s Development Review Board voted it down, too, in 2023.Clark appealed the local rulings in Vermont’s Environmental Court, News From The States said. Later rulings allowed the land-use part of his application to go forward, sending aviation safety and related issues to federal and state agencies.In June 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration made a conditional determination that the airstrip could operate under certain restrictions. These included private use during the day and conditions to avoid conflict with neighbouring flight paths, municipal structures and existing visual flight rules.The FAA denied an appeal by opponents on July 28, 2026. The Vermont Transportation Board later approved the project Oct. 8, moving Clark a step closer to getting the go-ahead to operate the runway.
Neighbours continue with legal challenge
The regulatory approvals have not muted the opposition. Ganahl and fellow resident Sarah Laird filed an appeal with the Vermont Supreme Court asking for a review of the Transportation Board’s October decision, News From The States reports. The board has also been asked to hold a certificate of operation until the court makes a ruling.They are worried about the absence of a public hearing during the Transportation Board’s review. Instead, the board reviewed written correspondence from residents in its deliberations. Opponents say this prevented several interested parties from adequately presenting their concerns.Safety is another major stumbling block. Neighbours have raised questions about whether a short runway in difficult terrain can provide safe take-offs and landings.Their concerns were backed up by an assessment prepared by aviation consultant Lee Moak, who looked at the area’s topography and the proposed runway. News From The States reported Moak found the airstrip may not fit in with its surroundings and recommended nine more steps before approval. They also argue that the FAA did not properly consider his assessment in rejecting their appeal.So they have appealed to a federal appeals court to try to overturn the FAA decision and the battle continues, at both the state and federal levels.
A wealthy business man and a pricey stand off
The financial resources available to both sides has also become another defining characteristic of the controversy. Clark is the head of Beta Technologies, a rapidly expanding electric aviation company with some 1,500 employees that has become one of Vermont’s signature businesses.Clark has admitted to spending an extraordinary amount on legal proceedings and other costs related to the runway, the Boston Globe reported. Meanwhile, he purchased a separate property in Charlotte, Vermont, for $14 million that already has an authorized airstrip. He now uses the property when flying to Beta’s head office in Burlington.The Clarks have also invested in the local community, purchasing the historic Lincoln General Store with a business partner in 2024. The group paid $457,000 for the establishment and has invested additional money in renovations.But those contributions haven’t necessarily improved relations with opponents, some of whom remain uneasy about the family’s influence in town.
Permission to build is not permission to fly
The runway has not been activated, notwithstanding approvals. Clark must fulfill the requirements of the FAA and the Vermont Agency of Transportation before the Transportation Board can issue the final Certificate of Operation, News From The States reported.The continuing appeals mean the project could face further delays even after years of regulatory proceedings.The argument has become more than an aviation facility for Lincoln. It has considered the relationship between private property rights, public safety and the responsibilities of being part of a close-knit community.Ganahl and other residents say they are determined to fight the decisions, while Clark says he has followed all the proper legal procedures. The 900-foot runway on the Vermont estate remains the centre of an increasingly costly neighbourhood battle until the outstanding appeals are resolved.Image Courtesy: istock